School building options placed in $50M range

The regional board and representatives of two architectural
firms discussed conceptual plans for four different improvement
scenarios Monday night and all carry price tags in the $50 million
range, not counting any land acquisition costs.

Board members said after the architects' presentations that the
task of reaching a decision on which plan to pursue figures to
dominate their meetings in the coming months.

The four scenarios included three that were discussed earlier
this year by a Facilities Task Force covened by the board. The
fourth was devised during the past week by architects and school
officials. The most expensive piece of all four plans is high
school-related work. The options presented Monday were as
follows:

Build a new high school ($40 million to $45 million) with
existing Bernards High undergoing infrastructure improvements so it
can be used as a middle school ( $12 million). Total cost is $52 to
$57 million.

Build a new middle school ($25 million to $30 million) with
Bernards High renovated and expanded ($35 million to $40 million).
Total cost is $60 to $70 million.

Build a new PreK-1 school near the borough pool ($15 million to
$18 million or $14 million to $17 million, depending on location).
Renovate and expand Bernards High ($35 million to $40 million).
Total cost is $50 million to $58 million or $49 million to $57
million, depending on the new school site.

Renovate and expand Bernards High ($35 million to $40 million),
expand and do small-scale renovations to the Bedwell School ($4
million to $5 million) and the Middle School ($9 million to $10
million). Total cost is $48 million to $55 mil lion.

Board President Roseanne Mirabella said the group's next
discussion on Dec. 17 w ill focus on educational aspects of the
building proposals. But during the next two weeks, the board also
intends to continue looking at financial issues. One w ill be
addressed by the facilities and operations committee, which will
look into what land is available in the area.

The board received two important pieces of cost-related
information on Monday. One was the $35 million to $40 million
estimate for Bernards High renovations which is a part of three of
the four improvement scenarios.

"Basically, that's getting close to the cost of a new high
school," said William Corfield, vice president of Spiezle
Architectural Group.

The other is that state reimbursement for certain pieces of the
improvement plan will likely be less than district officials had
been forecasting.

In recent months, several district officials had said the state
might reimburse 40 percent of any renovation work as part of a $2.5
billion grant program being offered to non- special needs
districts.

Corfield, however, said he knows of no district that has been
offered that percentage. A more likely rate, he said, is about 33
percent.

Bernards High Work

The Bernards High renovation would include additions built to
the front and rear of the existing building and should be more
accurately called an overhaul.

Corfield had rough site plans but no architectural renderings of
what the finished building would look like. The rear addition would
link the now-separate lower gym with the rest of the school. The
existing cafeteria would be demolished and a new entranceway
constructed in similar architectural style to the original piece of
the building.

A new gym was eyed for where a softball field now sits with the
current upper gym space used to expand the auditorium and for
industrial arts rooms. A new media center would be built off the
new front entrance.

Plans shown Monday offered two versions of a possible new PreK-1
building near the borough pool. A second location was investigated
closer to the Polo Grounds due to concerns that the first site
looked at is too close to Seney Drive. The municipal skating rink
now sits there.

"We're beginning to question whether our new building will fit
on the (rink) site adjacent to the pool," said School
Superintendent Raymond Gualtieri. "Even if we can shoehorn it in
there, is that what we want?"

About 25 residents attended the meeting. Bernardsville resident
Harry White questioned the board's effort to decide on a building
plan by March 1. The board had set that timetable in order to have
a state review of the project completed in time for a referendum
next September.

"I don't think you should be rushing for a $55 million project,"
said White.

Gualtieri said the board's March 1 deadline was self-imposed. If
more time is needed for investigation, the deadline will be pushed
back, he said, even if that also means pushing back a referendum
date.

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